Someone to stay
by Rafaperez
Summary: Post Mockingjay with Paylor's new government, fairer, the remaining member from the Hunger Games still have to go through a screening and that included Effie and Haymitch makes a decision.


**Author** : MoiraShipper

 **Summary** : Post Mockingjay with Paylor's new government, fairer, the remaining member from the Hunger Games still have to go through a screening and that included Effie and Haymitch makes a decision.

 **Enjoy and reviews if you're reading, it helps the author.**

 **Someone to stay**

 _You've been fighting the memory, on your own_

 _Nothing worsens, nothing grows_

 _I know how it feels being by yourself in the rain_

 _We all need someone to stay_

 _We all need someone to stay_

 **Someone to stay-Vancouver Sleep Clinic**

Only a few members from the Hunger Games, escorts, stylists and the techs had survived the war, and it was decided they would go through a screening, but a fair one, now that Paylor was the president and the verdict would be based on what role they'd had in the games and, in the rebellion.

Effie was standing in the huge hall of the justice palace of the Capitol, which was all in shades of white and gray, waiting for her turn, she would be the last, as it was following the district's numbers and she was nervous.

The former twelve's escort knew what she'd done for almost 8 years, she was felt regret for being part of the games, thinking it was just fun and entertainment, escorting a pair for kids from the twelve every year, to an inevitable death and, even though she had turned her back to the Capitol and joined the rebellion then, she knew it wouldn't erase the past and, even if she was afraid, she was willing to pay for what she'd done, to what verdict they decided for her.

Effie sat in the bench there was there and she sighed, closing her eyes and running a hand through her blonde curls that were falling over her shoulders. Her look had changed too. She had left aside the wigs and heavy make-ups, letting her natural hair free and, light make-up.

She thought about what Haymitch would say about her look if he could see her now and, when she image of the blonde man came to her mind, she remembered about their farewell kiss and her heart beat fast, while she raised her fingers to her lips, her blue eyes closed, remembering the way the gray eyes had stared at her, so clear without all that alcohol.

 _Don't be a strange, Effie..._

And she wished he could be there with her, even of he was drunk or making jokes about her, calling her princess, it didn't matter, his presence made her feel safe, she was in love with him, but she knew that he was in the Twelve and that maybe, that kiss would be the only thing between them.

"Ah, Haymitch..."

"Sighing for me, princess?"

Effie's hand fell and her eyes opened, widened in shock, pink lips parted and her face was pale and Haymitch started walking toward her, worried that she would really faint.

He saw how much she'd changed in those months and he opened a smile smile, seeing he real hair, she looked so beautiful, natural and, he had to admit that he had missed her, her nonstop talking, obsession for manners, everything so that was why he was there, for her.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered, rising while he stopped in front of her, her eyes still wide, while she admired him.

He was using that gray cap over his blonde and messy hair and, although his face looked tired for traveling tot here, he seemed fine, like the last time they had seen each other and she felt happy for him stopping drinking so much.

"I'm here for your screening, Effie." He told her, rolling his eyes and then, he put one hand around her waist, gentle, raising the other to her hair, brushing the curls away from her face, staring at her with an intensity Effie had never seen before and that made butterflies appear in her stomach, at the feel of his gentle touch.

"I'm here to stay with you, we all need someone to stay by his side." Haymitch told her, his voice hoarse, still caressing her cheek.

He was asking himself when he'd started showing that kind of affection, but he knew it was because Effie had conquered him, since her change during the rebellion, the time she'd stood beside him when he'd gone through his alcohols abstinence and slowly, he'd started realizing he was falling in love with her, even if he'd fought against that feeling, he hadn't loved anyone since the death if his girl, decades ago, but Effie had managed it. And now, there was him, determined to stay by Effie's side and support her.

The woman then noted that beside him, there was a small suitcase beside him and she turned her surprised eyes to him, a smile appearing on her pink lips. She knew how much he hated coming tot he Capitol so that was an huge gesture coming from him, no one of her former boyfriends had ever done something like that for her.

"I know how much you hate coming here... Thank you, Haymitch..." She told him, putting a hand over his that was on her face, her eyes shining, feeling so safe with him, so Effie took a deep breath, her lips parting while she said, decided: "I'm in love with you."

That took Haymitch by surprise, because although they had been always arguing, flirting and, then, that kiss, he hadn't expected those words, not said toward him, he expected her to fall in love with some well-educated and pompous man from the Capitol, but she had chosen him, the drunken from the Twelve, one of the game's victorious, rude and he frowned, whispering only some inches apart from her lips, his heart racing:

"You're crazier than I though, for falling in love with me."

"Manners! But I don't care that I'm crazy." She replied, her lips in a pout, like the old Effie, but her eyes were sincere staring at him, decided, their mouths so close and his breath against her face was making her body feel hot. "You're better than you think."

"And you've become a strong and caring woman, Effie Trinket." And Haymitch closed the distant between them, kissing her.

The kiss was different from that first, longer and full of passion and Effie rested a hand against his chest to support herself, that kiss was stealing her breath away, but she knew that Haymitch's arm around her waist would keep her in her feet and she parted her lips for his tongue, tightening her grip on his shirt, keeping him glued to her.

When they broke the kiss to breath, Effie rested her forehead against his, her face flushed and she had a big smile, staring at the gray eyes that shone and Haymitch caressed her waist gently, saying:

"I'm in love with you too, princess..."

And she laughed, giving him a kiss, touched, feeling his hand kept caressing her waist in a slow rhythm, while they stared at each other, seeing that everything was changing, for better.

And when Paylor's assistant appeared at the corridor, saying Effie was the next, Effie removed Haymitch's hand from her waist, blushing while saying _Manners, Haymitch,_ making the man roll his eyes.

He then give Effie's hand a squeeze, with whom he would always be from now on and she nodded, squeezing back, knowing everything would be alright and, before she released his hand, he said:

"When everything's over, we'll go back to Twelve, to stay together."

"I cannot wait."


End file.
